Intention is a word that means you decide to do something or plan to get a certain result. You could say you intend to get good grades at school; that is your intention. You might decide to read a certain book; you intend to read and finish that book. You tell your mother that you intend to make your bed every morning. Sometimes we have good intentions, but we don't follow through and complete the task.
In the Triumphal Entry, Jesus seems to be playing a game, "Guess who I am." This story for Palm Sunday is all about the identity question. The people were saying, 'Who is this?'"
Would you like to come to my birthday party? (That's a kind of invitation, isn't it?) Would you like to come over and play? Would you like to go to the movies? Do those sound like invitations you'd like to receive? (Me too!)
Appearing on a donkey put Jesus at odds with those in authority and power. The donkey symbolized that the way to salvation is the path of humility.
Matthew wants everything to be perfect, and that includes his church. So, he records Jesus giving instructions to the disciples. When this happens, do this. When that occurs, do that. There’s an answer for everything.
There's no such thing as an anonymous Christian. You're either for Christ or you're against him. When it comes to bearing witness to him as your Lord and Savior, neutrality isn't an option. Neither is mediocrity.
Death and taxes: Only one of life’s absolute certainties remains absolutely certain. Our physical demise has no loopholes, no shelters, no rebates. You can foil the IRS by relocating offshore, but you still have nowhere to hide when mortality comes calling.
How did Trevor Immelmon, Jimmie Johnson, the New York Giants, Venus Williams and all the other champions in their respective sports attain their most recent victories? By recognizing the great value in their lives of the thing they were after, and then selling all they had and getting this valuable thing.
Jesus told his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem, undergo great suffering and be killed, so He could rise again in three days. Peter must have been thinking, “What!?!” “You’ve got to be kidding me!"
The missionaries never knew what was happening. They didn't know they were being poisoned, and they didn't know why they were dying. They stayed and died because they trusted Jesus. And it was the way they died that taught others how to live.